Missouri voters approve 4 constitutional amendments, reject 2 tobacco-tax-increase measures

Missourians approved four constitutional amendments Tuesday, but rejected measures that would have raised cigarette taxes to fund early-childhood education programs and state roads and bridges.

Voters approved constitutional Amendment 1, which extends a sales tax for conservation and parks for 10 years; Amendment 2, which limits campaign contributions; Amendment 4, which prohibits new state or local sales taxes on services; and Amendment 6, which requires voters to display photo identification to vote.

Amendment 1 passed easily, garnering more than 80 percent of the vote. The measure received more than 2.2 million yes votes to 546,181 no votes, according to unofficial returns.

Voters approved Amendment 2 by a vote of 1.87 million to 806,676.

Amendment 4, which was heavily backed by the state's realtors, received 57 percent of the vote. The measure passed by a vote of 1.52 million to 1.14 million.

Amendment 6 collected more than 63 percent of the vote, winning by a vote of 1.7 million to 992,555.

Fifty-nine percent of voters rejected Amendment 3, which had been supported by big tobacco companies. The vote was 1.1 million in favor of the measure and 1.6 million against.

Proposition A, which would have imposed a lesser tobacco tax, was rejected by 55 percent of those who cast ballots. The vote was 1.2 million in favor of the measure and 1.49 million against.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641